Fading Light
by Sechskies
Summary: Athrun/Lacus. Lacus Clyne is not always the cheerful girl that everyone thinks she is. When all is taken away from her, she is left with only one fate to escape from it all. — Dropped.
1. Alone

_Okay, screw me for coming up with a story involving an Athrun x Lacus pairing, but I couldn't help it, ayt! All cannon pairings are good ('cept for Athrun x Cagalli... Sorry, but I don't really like 'em together!), but I must say Athrun x Lacus is still the top of my list. I don't care what you think, guys, but I don't want to see anyone complaining about this. You can grumble, and be mad, and **TOTALLY** want me dead (especially now that I've said I **HATE** the AxC pairing, though I know it's the most demanded one), but **PLEASE KEEP IT TO YOURSELVES**! I don't flame anyone who likes the canon pairings, and I don't get all frenzied whenever I'd see an AxC fanfic, so please be fair enough to me and **DEAL WITH MY ODD PREFERENCES**! I can take constructive criticisms, of course, but flaming me just because they don't like what they're reading is just out of the question._

_To make it shorter, if you don't want it, then don't read it._

_…Thank you very much. _

**_Disclaimer:_**_ Kidou Senshi Gundam SEED is a certified property of **© 2002-2004 SOTSU AGENCY · **_**_SUNRISE_****_ · MBS_**_… Happy now?_

**Fading Light  
****By: Sechskies**

**Song 01: Alone **

Silky pink locks, slightly ruffled and tangled, were combed with trembling fingers as Lacus Clyne sat up from her bed. Dried tears stained her pretty face, yet she made no motion to remove them. Instead, she repositioned herself on the divan and hugged her knees close to her chest.

"_Papa…_"

Outside the Eternal, another battle seemed to be taking place. A surprise attack from ZAFT, maybe? But Lacus didn't care. She didn't want to have anything to do with it right now. Someone could fill in for her as captain, but she wouldn't be bothered about who it would be. All she wanted for now was to be left alone. She needed it, and she was sure everyone could understand why.

"_Papa…_"

The room she was in was surprisingly dim and quiet. Haro wanted to play and had left the room earlier, but she didn't take the trouble to follow it. She just couldn't, because she wasn't in the right condition.

Her whole mind was swarming with so many thoughts that were all too painful to forget. It made her head throb sorely and her body hurt badly that it was just like being trodden by something heavy. Yet her face held no traces of discomfort or whatsoever at all. It was as if she had immunities, but that would obviously be impossible.

"_Papa…_"

Her crystal-blue eyes, once full of life but now devoid of any emotion, stared into nothingness, and her lips, which used to emit the angelic singing voice that was dearly loved by all Coordinators back in PLANT's, were pursed into a thin line. She paid absolutely no heed to the way her long, pink hair clung messily around her small body, and as a few minutes passed by, she still didn't make any efforts to move from her spot.

True, it was very unlikely for the usually lively songstress to act as inertly as this, but it was inevitable. Despite being a high-class Coordinator and greatly demanded pop idol in her nation, she was still human after all. She could act dubiously at some point, especially after helping out an enemy, being branded as a traitor by her own planet and learning that your father was killed by ZAFT soldiers.

Truthfully, she didn't expect herself to react like this either. She had always believed that she was a strong girl, but she was proven wrong not too long ago.

When she helped Kira escape with the Freedom Gundam, she was already aware of the consequences that would befall upon her soon after. But she wanted to help him, and she wanted to do the right thing for once. She just never expected that the outcome for her would be _this_ hard. Of course, she did her best to endure them all, yet her endeavor still didn't seem enough, for when she got reunited with Kira and the Earth Forces, she suddenly felt like she couldn't take it any longer.

"_Papa… Why did you have to go…?_"

The barriers in her heart that she had tried so hard to build had crumbled down in a split second as soon as her eyes met his, and all of a sudden, Lacus found herself crying in his arms for as long as she could remember. It was sincerely kind of him to stay there and comfort her, but it seemed that she still hadn't finished weeping all her grieves out, and as tears began cascading down her smooth cheeks once again, she leaned her forehead on her raised legs and resumed sobbing quietly.

"_Please… Take me with you…_"

In her sixteen years of living, Lacus Clyne had never imagined having her heart to be scarred as painfully as this. She felt like a weak and fragile girl who wasn't capable of doing anything at all. But more importantly, for the very first time, she felt empty and miserable.

"_Don't leave me here all alone…_"

**oOoOoOoOoOo**

"Is everything all right, Athrun?"

Blinking, Athrun Zala came back to his senses with a jerk as he felt a firm hand suddenly settling itself on his left shoulder. He raised his head to look at the caller, and found himself staring back at Kira Yamato's amethyst-purple eyes.

"K-Kira," he acknowledged, his voice almost a whisper.

"Hey, you okay?"

He nodded his head absentmindedly, partly wondering how the Freedom pilot had gotten inside the Justice with him, yet soon dismissed the thought as he realized that the cockpit was actually open.

"_Of course, stupid… How else would he be able to enter?_"

Shaking his head, he removed his seatbelt and proceeded to get out of the Mobile Suit with Kira following him. There was evidently no gravity in the area, so he had to glide his way outside the vessel hangar, and as he finally landed on the metal floor of the entry, he took off his helmet, revealing his sleek, midnight-blue hair.

Even with his eyes closed, he could still sense his friend walking to him from behind, and as the sound of his footsteps stopped, Athrun took this as a gesture to turn around and face him once again.

"You were pretty spaced out back there. Is there a problem, Athrun?" Kira's voice sounded quite tentative, and the anxiety and concern that he felt for the former ZAFT soldier was etched on his young face. He had never seen Athrun this troubled before, and he couldn't help but question the reason behind his currently disturbed state.

"It's nothing," he shrugged, yet Kira didn't seem convinced by his answer. He was looking at him intently that it was already making his eyebrow twitch, but he refrained himself from telling him. He didn't want to burden him with any more problems.

"We're friends, you know," Kira suddenly said, leaning his back against the wall as he folded his arms to his chest. "Despite everything, we still remain friends. And friends tell, because they trust each other, right?"

If it wasn't for his good control of impulse, Athrun's confused reaction would have been apparent on his face by now. He hadn't really expected a reply such as that coming from the young man standing before him, and from the way his emerald-green eyes cringed at what he said, it evidently caught him off-guard.

Kira was right though. Despite all that had happened, they were still friends, but he couldn't bring himself to smile on that one. The phrase was just too sappy and cheesy for him that it already sounded like it held another meaning to it.

He raised one eyebrow in suspicion. "What are you trying to pull, Kira?"

"Nothing," was the lad's instant counter. He kept his gaze locked on his bemused companion as he put a hand on his head, flattening his brown hair. "I'm just telling you, my friend, that you have to loosen up a bit sometimes. Having things bottled up inside of you tends to make you look older, you know,"

Athrun didn't say anything and merely mimicked Kira's earlier action, resting casually against the wall opposite him. There was a long moment of silence between the two, as they did nothing but to keep eye contact with each other, before the blue-haired pilot finally decided to take the initiative to speak first.

"Fine," he surrendered, sighing. There was just no way that he could win against this guy.

Walking toward the changing room, he took a seat on one of the chairs inside, and after making sure that no one else besides them was around, he inhaled deeply and continued.

"It's about Lacus," he revealed as he bowed his head down, midnight-blue bangs covering the uneasiness shimmering in his emerald orbs.

For a moment, a saddened expression came across Kira's features at hearing the young songstress' name. It made him remember how hard she cried in his arms a few hours ago when the Eternal docked at Mendel, and he had never imagined it to be very heart-breaking to the point that it would also affect him greatly. When he escorted her to her room, she seemed to be back to her old, cheery self, yet he was certain that her smile was merely a façade to hide the pain that must still be in her heart. He couldn't help but worry about her, but he didn't expect that Athrun would as well.

"_But of course! They have one of those strong bonds, after all…_"

Dismissing himself from his thoughts, Kira returned his attention back to the chap sitting beside him, and was just in time to hear the next of his words.

"When I was operating the Justice a while ago, I thought I heard her voice," he told him thoughtfully. "It's really weird, but I heard her inside my head…"

"W-well, what did she say?"

Instead of answering, Athrun made a face and rubbed his forehead. "I seriously can't remember. But don't you think it's stupid?"

"What is?"

"That I'm worrying over such things,"

"Worrying over your wife-to-be is not stupid, Athrun," Kira's voice retorted almost immediately, the firmness of his tone causing the other lad to turn to him in bewilderment, only to perceive the grim and distressed look on his face. The whole area seemed to tense at the brown-haired youngster's sudden outbreak, yet Athrun wasn't affected by it at all.

"She isn't my fiancée anymore," he corrected calmly. "My father broke off our engagement as soon as he found out about her doing concerning you and the Freedom,"

Another uncomfortable silence ensued.

"…She wanted to end the war," Kira whispered, his amethyst-purple eyes looking thoughtfully at the floor below him.

"We all do," Athrun stood up and headed towards the exit, stopping a few inches from the door.

"No. Athrun, she wanted **me **to end the war,"

"By letting you take the Freedom?" A frown worked its way on his usually composed image, fists tightly clenched as he faced Kira. "That's a whole lot of bullshit,"

"What's that supposed to mean? Ending a war is not all that easy!"

"But it doesn't always have to be this way, Kira!" he snapped, glaring at his brown-haired companion. There was a brief pause before he continued. "There are other ways to end a battle, yet she chose this one," He stared uneasily at the floor, his emerald-green eyes dancing with an unexplainable emotion. "And now, she's completely broken by it,"

Kira remained silent and merely stayed still on his seat.

"I've known Lacus to be a confusing girl who seems to always act according to her own will without thinking," He faced the door yet again. "She got way overboard this time,"

No other words were left spoken after that final sentence, and Athrun took this chance to leave the place, without even bothering to change from his space suit. He walked silently in the Eternal's hallway and made his way toward his room, while Kira was still inside the changing quarter, left alone to ponder the last words he told him.

**oOoOoOoOoOo**

Lacus tucked a single strand of her pink hair as she walked around the deserted corridors of her captained supply ship. It had been approximately seven hours since the last surprise attack from the opposing alliance, and she was pretty certain that the Eternal was on its way back to Mendel by this time.

Stopping in her tracks, she turned to look at her own reflection on the glass porthole before her, only to find a pair of puffy, red eyes staring back at her. She didn't even realize how long she had been crying until she felt her eyes already hurting, and it had already been a good while since then. She couldn't help but let out another sigh.

"_Is this what it really feels like to be alone…?_"

Everyone was gone, or so she claimed. Everywhere she went, there was no one in sight, but that was probably because they were all resting by now. It had been quite a tiresome event after all.

Yet, that wasn't the notion that she had been worrying about.

In her room, Lacus had contemplated about many things. She thought about her parents, her career, her fans, her diplomatic lifestyle, and even her engagement to Athrun Zala. She was a lucky girl, being able to live as grand as a princess, and she had always believed that it would stay like that forever. Sadly, it didn't. It all happened much faster than she'd ever expected.

From a famous and wealthy pop idol, she had turned into a loathed traitor in just a quick flash.

And now, she was all alone.

Nowhere to go to.

No one to turn to.

"_I wish… I wish Papa just took me along with him…_"

Staring thoughtfully into space, tears had started forming at the corner of her eyes once again, yet she merely wiped them off with the back of her hand.

She had had enough.

She didn't want to suffer anymore.

She didn't want to be alone.

She couldn't live like this, and so, she had decided.

"_Papa… Mama… I want to join the two of you… Please wait for me…_"

Lacus knew it was selfish of her to even think of such a thing, and probably many people would consider her as shallow and hate her, but she herself wanted to do this. She didn't want any more pains and torments; she wanted peace, and if this was the only way for her to achieve it, then she would go for it.

"_Forgive me, everyone…_"

**oOoOoOoOoOo**

For the past few hours, Athrun had been doing nothing but to lie down on his bed and stare wistfully at the ceiling suspended above him. He couldn't sleep, given that his earlier talk with Kira had left him greatly upset and partly because he was still bothered about Lacus. Sighing heavily, he shifted his position, folding his arms behind his head as a pillow. The restlessness he was feeling now was much harder to deal with compared to his confrontation with the ZAFT Forces earlier, and as he closed his eyes, he tried to rid himself of those troublesome thoughts, but was apparently unsuccessful.

**_Don't leave me here all alone… _**

Hearing those words made him open his eyes again in an instant, and he felt himself scowling as he remembered Lacus saying them inside his head. Even now, he still hadn't figure out how that happened, which vexed him even more, but he knew that it sounded adequately unpleasant to make him assume that something seemed to be wrong with his former fiancée.

With this, Athrun felt fear and tension surge through his entire body, and it made him have a sudden urge to visit the pink-haired girl in her room. Lacus Clyne had always been a strong and amiable character to him, but that didn't mean he didn't find himself worrying over her at times. He wanted to see her and make sure that she was still safe; that way, he could at least ease his mind from some things. Looking after her had been his silent obligation ever since they first met, and even without the betrothal, he wasn't about to drop his sole duty to her. He couldn't, especially in her current state.

Another soft sigh escaped from Athrun's lips. He was about to get up from his bed when the door to his room suddenly opened, and out of surprise, his first impulse was to lie back down. He thought it was stupid, yet before he could even realize it, his body had already moved on its own. He eventually decided to play along with it, since it was already too late for him to make another action.

"_I'm not in the mood to have a chat with anyone anyway,_" he thought, closing his eyes. "_If they think I'm asleep, maybe they'll just go away and leave me alone,_"

There was a moment of silence before his midnight visitor finally decided to speak.

"So you're already asleep too, huh? Just like Kira,"

Upon hearing his guest's voice, Athrun's eyes almost flew open. "_La-Lacus?_" He felt her weight on his bed and her hand reaching his, yet he tried to act indifferently about it. He didn't want her to know that he was actually faking his slumber.

"You and Kira did well in the fight earlier, you know? I didn't actually see it, but I know it. I have faith in the two of you," Lacus' voice was on its usual cheerful and pleasant tone, yet the young pilot wasn't the type to be easily fooled. He couldn't fully grasp it, but there was indeed something different with the girl.

"Hey, Athrun? I want to ask you something," She caressed his hand, playing with it with both of hers. "Please don't get mad at Kira,"

"_What? What are you talking about?_" Athrun mentally questioned, as if she would be able to hear it and answer him.

"I know that you're still angry because I let him have the Freedom, but please don't take it out on him. He didn't do anything. It was my entire fault,"

"_I figured,_"

He heard her exhale deeply. "Maybe it was out of compassion that I helped him out or I'm just really fond of him, but I know that deep inside my heart, I wanted to end the war, and I wanted him to do it for me," She squeezed his hand. "Using that Mobile Suit,"

"_Lacus…_"

"I know that there are other options. You're constantly telling me that,"

"_Yeah, I always did, huh?_"

"I was foolish to think that I could put an end to it like this. I'm very sorry, Athrun," She placed his hand on her smooth cheek, and the young man tensed as his calloused skin contacted with hers. He felt his pulse raising as he realized that this was actually his first time to lay a hand on her face like this, yet he refrained himself from reacting any further. "I know that I've disappointed you greatly, but please don't get angry. You have already forsaken me, much like the others, and I believe that is already more than enough punishment to me,"

Noticing the slight twinge of sadness in her voice, Athrun partially opened his eyes to look at her. He could see her still smiling as she removed his hand from her face, an indescribable emotion dancing in the depths of her crystal-blue orbs.

"Being alone is very hard to contend with. It makes you feel so lonesome and empty; I couldn't get used to it at all," she sighed, completely oblivious to the pair of confused emerald-green eyes silently watching her as she stared at the hand she was holding. "You know, you were always protecting me with these strong hands, and I'm very thankful for it. I'd never felt so safe and secured in my whole life,"

"_What are you trying to say, Lacus?_" He furrowed his brows.

Lacus entwined her fingers with his. "Athrun, if Mr. Zala hadn't cancelled our engagement, would you still stay by my side and continue watching over me, despite everything I've done?" she asked, her voice starting to quiver. "If so, I wouldn't be feeling alone like this, because I would still have you, right?"

From the way his eyes widened in shock, heeding her words obviously caught the blue-haired youngster off-guard. He didn't see that one coming, and for once, he was thankful that he followed his first instinct of pretending to sleep. He didn't know what he would answer to her otherwise.

"But that would be asking too much now, wouldn't it? I don't deserve such a thing; I don't deserve you, Athrun," She squeezed his hand for the last time before placing it back on his chest. "But I'm glad. I'm glad because I was able to meet someone like you. Getting betrothed to you was an honor, and I will never ever forget it,"

"_Why are you saying all of this?_"

"Please take good care of yourself, okay, Athrun? I wouldn't want you to get hurt," She leaned closer, and it took Athrun almost his whole strength to maintain a straight expression as he felt her breath brush lightly against his face.

"Thank you for being one of the most important people in my life," she whispered, and pecked him gently on the cheek.

Nothing but complete silence followed after that, and as he sensed Lacus exiting the room, he breathed a sigh of relief and opened his eyes, revealing a pair of emerald-green orbs shimmering with so much worry and confusion. His heart was still beating intensely at the brief kiss she gave him, and he sat up, feeling weak and uneasy all of a sudden.

"_Wha-What was that all about…?_"

Athrun put a tired hand on his creased forehead, feeling his brain about to burst because of too much thinking. He heaved out a tired sigh, slumping his shoulders lazily, and that was when it hit him.

Mouth agape, he stood up, eyes dancing with mixed emotions. He felt as if a huge lump had formed itself inside his throat, making him unable to speak, and he was too taken aback by his sudden realization to even know when to stop keeping his breath and start breathing again.

"_What if…?_"

**_Don't leave me here all alone… _**

**_Being alone is very hard to contend with…_**

**_I'm glad I was able to meet someone like you… _**

**_Please take good care of yourself, okay, Athrun? _**

**_Thank you for being one of the most important people in my life… _**

"N-No…" he choked out, feeling the air finally come back to his lungs. "Hell no…"

It was all clear to him now, the way she was acting strangely and why he had been hearing her voice inside his head lately. It didn't make any sense to him at first, but now he knew. At last, the final piece of the jigsaw had been found, and the whole puzzle was irrefutably complete.

"_That idiot!_"

Scrambling to his feet, a combined feeling of what seemed like irritation and anxiety flared up in his veins as Athrun went for the door. He didn't know where she was currently, but he wanted to believe that he would find her. There was simply no other option for him but to do so, if he wanted to save her in time, that is.

"_I won't let you make a fool of yourself, Lacus… I can't let you have your way this time…_"

**(tsuzuku)**

January 10, 2005

_Yo! Before you press that purple thingy down there and sue me for making everyone quite OOC, lemme tell y'all that I intend to do that. This ficcie is a darker take to Lacus' persona, after all, which means that such instances can't be avoided. I mean, we all know that Lacus is a naturally cheerful girl who is always seen with a smile on her face, but anyone who had just experienced what happened to her would surely be put into the same situation… right? And Athrun? I think he's still the same guy. He'd known Lacus for a long time now and even got betrothed to her, so it's quite believable that they've made a bond with each other. It's also not questionable that he's pretty concerned with her… though not romantically, of course. _

_BUT! This fic is about the two of them. This is my take on what'll happen **PRECISELY** after the **42nd episode**, and since I wrote **MY**, it obviously means that I intend to get the ex-fiancées together again! XD_

_Okay, a little explanation about the plot. To avoid further confusions and yada-yada's…_

_From what happened to her in the original series, Lacus was **EVIDENTLY** deeply hurt. Of course, she does! We all know it, I mean, with the way she cried in Kira's arms while telling him about her father's death, right? There, she moved on. But here in my fic, she'll dwell on those events more before moving on. She'll have lots of contemplations and second thoughts about life; she'll start to doubt herself and everyone… Eventually, she'll start to lose the will to live any longer, and **THIS** is where Athrun comes in. It'll be just like Kira x Lacus, only Lacus is Kira (the wounded) and Athrun is Lacus (the healer)… getz? O.o_

_I want to explain my point further, but that'll be spoiling the whole story, so I'll just shut up now. X.x If anyone is reading this and has any comments, suggestions or questions, don't hesitate to drop me a review, aytz? I'll definitely be answering your every query in the next chappie… if you want to have one, that is. Whehe… Yoroshiku onegaishimasu, minna-san! XD_

_If there are some things written here, which are wrong and completely out of place, please bear with me, peepz! TT I'm not a Gundam freak to know everything there is to know and I also haven't finished watching the complete SEED series yet. I'm only relying on Cartoon Network… err…_

_**-- Lots of hugs and kisses to my beloved beta reader, BEAVER! Thanks a bunch for helping me pull this off! XD --**_


	2. Escape

_Wow! I didn't know there are actually peepers here who adore the AxL pairing like I do… and to think that I was actually expecting that no one would check out this crappy fic… Ureshii! Thank you for all the wonderful reviews, minna-san! Please keep 'em coming, ayt? Athrun x Lacus R.U.L.E.Z.! XD_

**_Disclaimer:_**_ Kidou Senshi Gundam SEED is a certified property of **© 2002-2004 SOTSU AGENCY · **_**_SUNRISE_****_ · MBS_**_… Happy now?_

**Fading Light  
****By: Sechskies**

**Song 02: Escape**

Lacus' crystal-blue eyes stared emptily at the cold, reflective water of the bathtub situated before her motionless figure. She had been in that position for quite some time now, paying no attention to anything but the water itself.

"I'm a lot like it," she mused dully. "No one can really see past my surface either…"

She heaved out a deep sigh, knowing very well what she must do. She had come to this place for one sole purpose, and she was determined to accomplish it no matter what. Slowly approaching the tub, she bent down to look at her own reflection on the water and suddenly felt her eyebrows furrowing in distaste.

"_Pathetic, Lacus… Truly pathetic…_"

She knew she could think of something far more creative than this, but it couldn't be helped. She was in the Eternal after all, a Mobile Suit transporter, so resources would evidently be limited. She had no other options anymore but to merely resort to this one.

"_I deserve it like this anyway... as wretched as can be… What have I got to lose?_"

With this, a bitter smile graced her dried lips. "Nothing," she whispered, her voice quivering. "Because I've already lost everything…"

Images of her father and everything that had taken place before then flashed in her mind, and tears began trickling down her pale cheeks yet again as she pondered about how she had lost them instantly. The experience was awfully tragic, and it was too painful for such a fragile heart like hers to handle that merely reflecting on it was already creating a slow and painful death for her.

Lacus could no longer take it; therefore, she had decided, and had firmly made up her verdict.

"_This is too much…_" She straightened herself and removed her jacket, its white length sliding smoothly down her back to the tiled floor of the lavatory. "_If living the rest of my life means having to endure all of this, then…_"

Tonight was the night that she would end all of it.

**oOoOoOoOoOo**

Parting his eyelids, Kira woke up and hastily sat up from his bed, amethyst-purple eyes filled with what seemed like sheer fright and confusion. Cold sweat trickled down his creased forehead, and he coarsely wiped them off with a shaky hand, his breath coming in short gasps.

"What the…" he huffed, clenching his blanket. "L-Lacus…"

_**Papa... He's d-dead… **_

_Her voice was frail and weak._

**_It was all my fault… _**

_Her whole body was quivering._

**_I… I deserve to die… _**

_Her grip on his shirt tightened._

**_Because I couldn't do anything, Kira! _**

Kira closed his eyes, feeling drained all of a sudden. He could only remember those fragments from the dream he just had, but they were more than enough to trouble him greatly. The look on Lacus' face was just purely distressing, and he felt his chest tightening as he heard her cries echo inside his head.

**_I couldn't do anything, Kira! _**

He cringed, sadness etched on his young face. "I couldn't do anything for you either, Lacus…"

Falling back to his pillows, he tried picturing her usually smiling face, and felt his cheeks slightly burning as he thought of how pretty she looked. He imagined how she would always smile at him sweetly whenever they would come across each other, but immediately shrugged the notion off as her tear-stained features came into his mind once again.

**_She's completely broken… _**

Grumbling, he squeezed his eyes tighter and scratched the back of his head crossly. Athrun's words to him during their earlier conversation had also left him greatly bothered, and his eyebrows furrowed as he remembered how his friend looked at him with annoyance during that time. He had never seen him that provoked, but Kira wasn't struck by it at all. Despite the stern tone of speaking, the angry remarks and the scowl on his face, he wasn't intimidated in any way, because he knew that the blue-haired Coordinator was feeling just as lost, confused and worried as he was.

"_For Lacus…_" he mentally added, sitting back up once again.

Suddenly, his eyes caught a glimpse of something glinting, and he turned to his side, thoughts about Lacus and Athrun disappearing from his mind for the time being. He gradually extended his arm to reach for the shining object that was on his bedside table, and when he did so, his eyebrows rose in question as he finally perceived the item as a ring.

"How did it get here?" he asked to no one in particular, thoughtfully eyeing the round material. The ring was made of pure white gold, and it was engraved with complicating star outlines. It looked very expensive, and the way the silvery object glinted in the darkness made it appear more elegant.

Yet, Kira, being a man as he was, wasn't much of a fan of jewelries, so he merely overlooked the thought, and decided to find the owner – whoever he or she was - some time later. He was feeling too exhausted, after all.

Yawning lightly, he was about to place the ring back to the side table and return to his musings when he suddenly spotted something imprinted in its inside. At first, he didn't really give much thinking to it, but curiosity soon got the better of him, and as he took the item once again, he squinted his eyes to get a healthier look at it.

"…C-Clyne…" he read the small, embossed letters broodingly, before the thought actually made sense to him. "Clyne… Lacus?"

Kira arched an eyebrow in confusion, and as if something hit him hard, he jerked back, eyes widening in surprise at a sudden notion that entered his head.

Returning his gaze to the ring he was holding, his face suddenly blanched. "J-just now…" he stammered, his voice barely a whisper.

The thought had just hit him the moment he realized that the object was actually the pink-haired girl's property and it didn't make any sense at all, yet he couldn't seem to get it off him. The unsettling feeling gnawed at him from the inside and try as he might, he couldn't ignore it.

"S-somehow… Just now…"

A smiling image of Lacus' beautiful face flickered in his mind for the last time that instant, and the young man unconsciously clenched the ring tighter in his hand. Shoulders trembling, he clutched his chest with his other hand and hung his head limply, his brown hair failing to plaster the stunned and frightened expression on his face.

"_Her smile… Lacus' smile…_"

Tears had started trickling down his pallid cheeks, yet Kira was oblivious to it, for his mind was converged on to nothing but the most dreadful thought that he could come across.

"_I don't think…_"

Was this why he was feeling so uneasy and bothered? He still didn't know, but he seriously wished this wasn't it. It **had** to be something else.

Not this one.

Anything but this one.

"_…I don't think I'll ever see it again…_"

**oOoOoOoOoOo**

Athrun's face paled as he entered the ship's loft, learning that his attempt of finding a pink-haired figure was futile for the nth time. He had been searching for her for quite a while now, and had already reached the very last room of the Eternal, yet he still couldn't come across any traces of her. Time was running out, and panic was already threatening to enshroud his mind, but he suppressed himself from submitting to it. Still, he couldn't help but feel aggravated about the whole situation.

"Damn it, where could she be?" he growled, annoyed and edgy.

Banging a clenched fist to the doorframe, he gritted his teeth, his pair of emerald-green eyes glinting angrily. He felt his knees buckle with so much pressure, and finding no other way to release himself from his frustration, he punched the wall very hard, letting out a howl of rage as he did so.

"FUCK!" he cursed again.

Why was he feeling this worked up, he still wasn't sure. All he knew was that things were happening all too fast for him to comprehend. It wasn't too long ago when he was merely helping out Kira build micro units for his school project back in the moon, and now, he was in the Eternal, trying desperately to find his ex-fiancée who was about to commit the biggest and most imprudent mistake of her life. It confused him greatly, and the many indescribable emotions flooding in his mind didn't help the situation from getting any better either.

"_Why did I get into this all of a sudden anyway?_" Athrun found himself wondering. He closed his eyes tiredly and leaned his forehead against the partition, his mind involuntarily wandering off to that fateful moment.

**_For what reason are you fighting?_**_She looked up to him, her pair of crystal-blue eyes staring intently at him as if she could see right through his persona. **Is it for those medals that you've received? Or your father's orders? **_

_He narrowed his eyes, lips drawn to a slight frown._

**_If so, then there is absolutely no doubt that you'll be fighting against Kira again. _**_Her smile slowly faded as she stood up, her Haro bouncing playfully beside her. **And you'll be fighting me, as well. **_

He sighed heavily, eyebrows creasing with worry. "Lacus… Where are you…?"

**_If you're willing to play the role of your father's puppet, then shoot me. _**_She took a step toward him, and he, in turn, backed away. **I've been a traitor to my kind after all, an enemy who should be destroyed. **_

_His emerald-green eyes flashed with conflicting emotions at the sternness of her face and voice, and before he could even realize it, she was already standing a few inches before him, his gun pointing directly at her face. _

**_So you might as well kill me now. Athrun Zala of ZAFT! _**

Clenching his hands into fists, Athrun took a deep breath and straightened himself, a firm, yet calm resolve evident on his young, handsome face. Recalling those words from her would always spark something unexplainable near the center of his chest, but he knew that this wasn't the time for him to ponder over such notions. Whatever discomfort and uneasiness that he was feeling currently, he would just have to deal with it later. There were other things to worry about after all, and that included finding the whereabouts of a currently dispirited pink-haired songstress, which he had momentarily disregarded.

"_Ninny!_" he scolded himself.

Sprinting in the corridor once again, the young elite carried on with his neglected task. He thought of all the best possible places where he could find his sought figure, and soon made up his mind that he would just start on his pursuit all over again to be certain.

Turning to a darker hallway, Athrun descended the stairs that would lead him to the ship's storage room, deciding to check the place as well, just in case. He knew that the possibility for her to be there would evidently be null, but he wouldn't give up; he had to find her, and his instincts were telling him that he would.

"_I just hope that I won't be too late in doing so…_" He grimaced, anxiety shimmering in his olive depths. "_Please be all right, Lacus… Please be all right…_"

**oOoOoOoOoOo**

With all her clothes now discarded, Lacus slowly took the first step into the bathtub. Its cold liquid lapped at her knees, causing her to shiver, and she had to bite her lower lip to prevent herself from withdrawing. There was no turning back now; her fate had been concluded, and she would follow it regardless of what.

"_It's too late for regrets after all…_"

The water seemed to urge her on in a strange sense, ever swaying softly in every move she made, and before she could even realize it, she had already sat in the bathtub. It was ice, since the heater was broken, and Lacus couldn't help but gasp out loud as the cold liquid stabbed her bare body. It was painful against her delicate skin, yet she made no move to flee from it. She wouldn't cower, because this was what she deemed had to be done.

Leaning her head against the tiled wall, Lacus took a deep breath. It was all coming together, but it was now time for it to fade away. She didn't care if everyone would laugh at her for choosing this – of all approaches – to pass away, because this was what she deserved. She had been a very pathetic and shallow girl after all, and by this point, she also felt that living was already all too painful for her.

Yes, she knew she was being utterly selfish, but she didn't want to be alone anymore; she didn't want to feel this miserable, so she had to make herself take the final step.

This was for her sake.

And for the others, as well.

"_This is all for the better…_"

With one final forlorn glance to the light hovering above her, Lacus did just that. The water instantly began to stab excruciatingly at her helpless body as she submerged herself in its icy length. Drawing her knees closer to her chest, she lay in a fetal position, allowing a single tear escape from the corner of her eye and mingle with the liquid enveloping her. Memories and quiet pleas surged through her mind, but she could do nothing of it now.

The decision was made; the actions had been taken, and now Lacus would finally be relieved of her grief and sorrow.

"LACUS!"

Eyes growing heavy, she felt all her energy drain out from her already weakened body as blackness claimed her vision, and the last thing she saw before darkness took her completely was a hazy image of a familiar, blue-haired young man from above the tub, his arms ostensibly reaching for her.

"_Athrun…?_"

And then she felt no more.

**(tsuzuku)**

January 31, 2005

_Hmmm… What do you think of this chappie, guys? Well, if you ask me, this chapter…frustrated me SO much! I felt as though I might go insane and just smash my computer to pieces! T.T I must have rewritten this one at least 5-7 times. I knew how I envisioned it to be, (I think up each chapter as though it were an episode in the anime – **Seccie-chan's Secret No.1**! XD) but I was never satisfied with what I wrote down. I'm still not particularly happy with it, but it's as close as I can get to what goes on inside my head. X.x **AND PLEASE PARDON ME IF THE CHAPPIE IS SHORTER!** T.T No, it's not Writer's Block… Something like it, though… But I just don't have any idea where to end the chappie, and I thought **that **scene would be a good cliffie… so… err… I'll just try revising this chappie if it wasn't good enough for y'all. That is, if I have the time… And yeah, forgive this poor writer if there were any misspelled words and wrong grammars there. I uploaded this without consulting my beta-reader about the final corrections. _

_Anyway, do you think it needs something more? O.o All suggestions and comments are very welcome! (",)_

_And to clear out some things, Lacus **IS** committing suicide… Her preferred way? Drowning herself in the bathtub! XD Okay, screw me for that, but I actually like the idea. I find it more dramatic for her part, and hey! She said it herself, right? She wanted to take on such an act because she believed that dying pathetically would be more than suiting for a traitor and disgrace like her. Other than that, I like the idea of Athrun seeing her body appear lifeless in the tub… **NEKKID**! XD Nyaha! (**Warning!**** Seccie-chan in hentai mode!)**_

_By the way, Lacus attempted to kill herself in an abandoned lavatory near the storage room, which was why Athrun wasn't able to find her during his earlier search. Well, that's because he was looking for her in the regularly visited areas of the ship… and it didn't really occur to him that she'd be in** there **– of all points. Get it? O.o And why the hell was Lacus in such a place? Well, she wouldn't want anyone to see what she was going to do, would she? Whoo! I'm getting confused here! I think I'll just explain this further in the next chappie, if peepers ask for it. :D My author's remarks are getting too long, after all._

_As a final note, I've decided that I'll be giving a reply note to all the peepers out there who have taken the time to give me a review for my fic. Why? Because you gave me confidence, and neglecting y'all peepers, esp. those who have asked questions, would be unfair now, would it? This is my own weird way of saying "Thank you!"! O.o Get it? Meh! Screw it! Anyhoo, I'm only new to this, so please bear with me! XD_

**oOoOoOoOoOo**

**Lacus-chan **- _Gee, thanks for being my 1st reviewer! I remember you as one of the members in the Entwined Hearts group, and I'm really glad that you've given this fic a chance! It's an honor that you consider this as the best fic ever, and I'm really pleased to meet another true-blooded AxL fanatic like me! XD Hope to hear from you again!_

**Ariel **- _A cute story, you say? O.o Well, I guess so… in its morbid kind of way. Haha! Thanks a lot for the review! Hope you give me more. :-)_

**Feathertop **- _So you also reviewed? Waii! Hehe... There was only a single word there, but it was more than enough to raise my spirits! Tell me if you think this chappie is as cool as the other one, ayt?_

**RVD **- _I was thinking back there that you didn't like my story... err... Anyway, thanks a bunch for the review! Yeah, death wouldn't solve anything at all, would it? Haha! I was expecting someone would say that in their reviews. Anyway, thanks for taking the time to check out my story! I'll be really happy if you continue reading!_

**djb21212/Steeldramon21 **- _Thank you for your comforting words! It really made me more confident with my fic. Also, you're an anti-AxC fan? Sweet! Nyaha! I hate them too. XD Oh! Thanx for telling me about Heero de Fanel. I've read all his AxL fics and I really enjoyed it. :D And you're a Kira x Cagalli fan, right? Well, I'm not much of a fan but I prefer their pairing rather than AxC. Kira and Cagalli seems like a cute coupling, since they seem to understand each other better (despite them being siblings, but I'm very open with incest. I actually find it cool! XD I'm planning to get them together in this fic of mine, though I'm still debating whether it should be in a romantic way or not. O.O Nyweiz, please continue supporting me! I was really glad when you told me that the fic was worth reading. Ureshii desu yo!_

**Tenpou Gensui **- _Yo! I changed your perspective regarding the AxL pairing eh? Haha! I'm better than I expected! Hehe.. Thanx for the info regarding the series, you Gundam freak you! XD Review ka ulet para masaya!_

**Shinigami Zero **- _Wow! Your review has gotta be one of muh faves, man! I feel truly happy that someone praised me like the way you did. Thank you! Truly, I am! I'll do better in the next chappies, and Kira will have more focus in the future ( I think…). :D Please keep on reviewing! It's reviewers like you that make struggling writers like me really happy!_

**atori**- _I'm glad you find my fic well-written. Hehe... I'm also happy that you share the same perspective I have on the pairings of SEED. Athrun and Cagalli just don't seem right for me. I don't hold any grudges about KxL too, since I think they're also cute together. :D But my fave is really AxL. Heck! I even cried when their engagement was cancelled! Hidoi wa Zala-sama wa! T.T But I'll do my best in this fic and make their pairing in here as believable as possible! Please back me up! (",)_

**Cruel Fate **- _Another AxC hater! Yappo! XD I'm glad to have found another good Samaritan who shares the same ideals as I do! So whaddya think of this chappie? Hope you review!_

**fluffybmine**- _Thanks for liking my fic a lot! Truly honored! XD I'll make this the most promising AL fic just for fans like you, ayt? And oh! Was there something you didn't like with my fic? O.O Please don't hesitate telling them in reviews, ok?_

**(dearest reviewer who goes by the name of 3 dots) **- _You really think I made it work? XD I'm so happy! Thank you for your wonderful comment! I hope I was successful in 'somehow' changing your say on the AxL pairing! _

**mongolian-bbq**- _You really checked out my fic? Thank you! I'm really glad that the fic has greatly caught your interest! Thank you also for taking the time to give me a long review. Your comments made me really happy, and have greatly motivated me to do better. :D And I made you an instant fan! WAHAHAYAYAHAHA! XD Thank God! Another __AL__ fan born! Hehe.. Once again, thanks for all the wonderful praises! You don't know how much they mean to me! I'm glad you think of me as a great writer, and I'll do my best just to make good supporters like you happy! Yoroshiku onegaishimasu!_

**wheeXD **– _wOOt! thanks for the review! XD Hope you liked the new chappie!_

**cherry-990**- _I like KxL too, but not as much as AxL! Thanks for liking my fic! I'll definitely work harder! XD_

**Chloe **- _Thank you for the wait! Hope the new chappie was a satisfaction to you! C",) Looking forward to your review as well! XD_

**lonely-dreamlover **- _I also find THAT part sweet, y'know! Esp. when the 2 of them are leaning into a kiss! How I wish it was on the lips! Hehe! Thank you for the review! XD And yeah, Sechskies is a K-pop_ _boy band. I took the name because I truly adore Kang Sung-hoon, one of the lead vocalists in the disbanded group! He's such a cutie, and I'm working very very hard to be his future wife! XD Nyaha!_

**ConfuseDAngel **- _Thank you for the inspiring comments! I'm glad that I have been an example to you! I'll work harder so that I won't disappoint you! AND NO! I won't kill Lacus... or will I? (grins sadistically) XD Promise to be your best friend forever if you'll review! _

**missashlee28**_ – Yeah, there really are many peepers out there who like the AxL pairing! Guess we're not really as alone as we think we are, huh? Good for us then! XD Thanks for reviewing! Hope you enjoyed this chappie!_

**onegai **_– You really think that this fic should be included in the real storyline! O.o Whoa! I dunno what to say! Err… I think I'm happy... ah- I really am! XD Thanks for cheering me up, man! Though you're not much of an AxL fan, you still gave this fic a chance. Hontou ni arigatou gozaimasu! XD I look forward to your next review! C",)_

**BEAVER **– _Yo! Thanks for the editing the fic! Need I say more? XD Review ka ulet, okish? Kisses! _

**Lara**_ – Thanks a lot for reviewing, dear, and I most definitely will keep it up! Just please be patient with my slow updates, okay? I'm a struggling writer after all. Hehe! XD_

**Umi-chan**_– I hope so too, you know! XD Hehe… I really like this pair and want people to know that __AL__ is as interesting as the official couples of SEED. This fic was actually made to gather up and unite ALL Athrun X Lacus fans out there, and I'm glad it really did! I'm super happy that I'm not the only one who actually adores this cute pairing. You're a real AxL aficionado (I can tell!), and you share the same insights as I do, to boot! Hehe! Are we like soul mates or something! O.o Haha! Please keep supporting me, okay? _

**Crazy Neko**_– Oh my! I'm REALLY happy to learn that my fic has actually perked up your interest, despite being an AxC fan. XD Thank you very much! Your review was such an inspiration, and I'm truly honored that you actually regard me and my fic as the best! I promise to do MUCH better to satisfy good peepers like you, so please support me all the way! Douzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu! XD_

**_-- This time, I would like to thank LKC-CHAN for helping me with this chappie! Hugs and kisses to you, girl! XD --_**


	3. Parallel

_Sorry for the long wait, minna-san! I was suffering a HUGE Writers' Block these past few months so… Hehe! XD Maa, at least I'm back now, right? Err… Anyways, before I present to y'all the 3rd installment of this dear ficcie, I'd like to make some notices. You can skip the part if you want, but I tell you, you'll be **TOTALLY** missing out on some important details!_

_Firstly, I know y'all are already starting to get impatient with the slow development of the plot. Yes, it's already the 3rd chappie and yet there still aren't any apparent AxL scenes. I'm getting to that, dears, but please try to understand that I'm not the type to rush things. It makes everything OOC, in my part. Besides, the plot started out with Athrun and Lacus **NOT** having anything to do with each other, right? They weren't engaged here anymore, and like what the original series held, their relationship had been put to an immediate halt after their confrontation in the theatre. We follow that same thought **HERE**, and since we're only in the beginning of the plot as of now, we can only see the 2 of them worrying over each other's welfare as the sole AxL moment – in Athrun's part. Do you follow me? Err… Just take in that Athrun – for now, of course – will only feel nothing but pure concern over Lacus. He will look after her, and think of her often because he feels responsible for her, taking into account that her father is dead and that he's the only one she knew well who is still with her. The story will basically revolve on that for a while, with lotsa contemplations and internal battles from the 4 main characters (esp. Athrun!), and when I have finally stretched the story long enough, that will be the time when Athrun and Lacus will come around and realize **SOME** important things, which will – at long last – lead to more palpable AxL moments. But don't expect me to write mushy stuffs here, okay? Besides being an **ANGST** fic, I believe such scenes won't be appropriate, considering that they **ARE** in the middle of facing the deadliest war. Fluffs will be coming out later, after **ALL** the things that I have mentioned so far. So yeah… Hope you're still with me! XD_

_For the last comment, these are some little reminders for everyone regarding the ficcie format. I won't mention them ever again so please keep 'em in mind whenever you read muh stuffz, okay? C",)_

Beef - _Narrations_

"Beef," – _Dialogues_

"_Beef,_" – _Thoughts_

_Beef _– _Flashback or dream (Narrations)_

**_Beef _**– _Flashback or dream (Dialogues)_

_BeEf _- _Haro speaking_

_Now presenting the 3rd chappie of our beloved ficcie! Enjoy! c",)_

**_Disclaimer:_**_ Kidou Senshi Gundam SEED is a certified property of **© 2002-2004 SOTSU AGENCY · **_**_SUNRISE_****_ · MBS_**_… Happy now?_

**Fading Light  
****By: Sechskies**

**Song 03: Parallel**

**_Good afternoon. I'm Athrun Zala. _**

**_Good afternoon to you too! My name is Lacus Clyne. It's such a pleasure to finally meet you, Mr. Athrun! _**

**_Same here. Uh… These are for you. _**_He handed her the bouquet of fresh roses that he was holding, and he couldn't help but smile warmly at the way her crystal-blue eyes sparkled excitedly at the sight of his present to her._

**_My, they're so beautiful! Thank you very much, Mr. Athrun. _**

_His emerald-green eyes softened. **Athrun is fine. **_

_She blinked, then smiled. **Well then, simply Lacus is fine by me as well. **_

**_L-Lacus? _**_He turned his last statement into a small squeak, and she, in turn, gave out a lighthearted giggle as she noticed the deep blush tainting his cheeks. _

_HaRo! HaRo! _

At the sound of Haro's usual jolly voice as it entered the room, Athrun snapped out of his thoughts. His smiling image of Lacus lingered in his vision for a brief moment before gradually fading away, and all he could see was the empty and lifeless expression on the same pink-haired girl's face who he was currently looking after.

"Lacus…" he whispered, frowning.

_LaCuS! SleEpInG? HarO!_

He sighed, turning to the pink, mechanical ball that had just bounced its way to the bed, and grabbed it before it could even reach Lacus' face.

"Yes, Lacus is sleeping, Mr. Pink," he said, and settled it back down to the ground. "So please be quiet and go away,"

Heeding his words almost immediately, Haro happily obliged and rolled out of the room. Once the door closed and he was back to his solitude, he then returned his gaze to the lass lying unconsciously on the bed, a deeper frown working its way on his face as he carried on with his earlier musings.

**_Here you are._**

**_Th-thank you. _**_He gingerly reached for the cup of tea that she offered to him, smiling gratefully before drinking the hot substance. After a moment of silence, he looked up and was quite surprised to see her staring back at him amusedly. **What is it?**_

_A soft giggle escaped from her rosy lips. **Athrun has blue hair.**_

**_W-well…_**

_She ran a hand on her silky locks, her gaze turning thoughtful. **Mine is pink…**_

_There was a moment of silence before she turned her attention back to him, her crystal-blue orbs twinkling gleefully as she let out another innocent and cheerful smile. **In that case, our children should have purple hair, shouldn't they?**_

_He suddenly choked on his tea, his eyebrow twitching._** _What the---? _**

A slight smile tugged the corner of his lips as his mind wandered off to that particular moment of his life, remembering how happy and lively Lacus still was back then. Always surprising him with such blunt and sensitive questions coming out of the blue, she could be very playful and teasing at times, but that was what he liked about her; she was a fun girl who was never a boredom to anyone. A symbol of warm love, beauty and affection to all Coordinators, he had always believed that she would remain like that ceaselessly, which was why her previous action came out as a complete surprise to him.

Eyebrows drawing together, he sunk deeper into his seat, and felt his chest constricting as he recalled the state she was in when he found her in the cast off bathroom: her naked body sprawled lifelessly in the small tub; her cheeks pale, and her long, pink hair clung tightly on her cold skin like a blanket. He had to admit that she wasn't a pleasant sight to look at, and never had he expected to see her like that either.

But why would he anyway?

Always the innocent and carefree girl was presented to him, so not until the incident earlier was he able to realize that she had been showing him a front all along.

That there actually existed a vulnerable and dismal side to her.

That her naivety and amiability were merely pretenses.

That behind the childish giggles and sweet smiles was actually a broken being who desperately needed someone to turn to more than anyone.

And that despite everything, she was still a normal human capable of feeling pain and suffering.

"_If only I was able to realize all of this earlier…_" Athrun said to himself, turning his sad gaze back to the sleeping bundle that was Lacus. "_I'm sorry, Lacus… for not knowing anything until now…_"

_Wiping his mouth with his handkerchief, he shakily settled the cup back down on the table. He stared bemusedly at the girl sitting across him, wondering why she had asked him such a blunt question, but immediately shrugged it off as he heard her call him once again. _

**_Oh, by the way... _**

**_Y-yes? _**_He returned his gaze to her as he added a dollop of sugar in his tea, and he merely raised his eyebrows in question as she flashed him another cheery beam, her eyes crinkling into a smile this time. _

**_When are we going to get married? _**

_The teaspoon that he was holding dropped into the table instantly._

Frowning, Athrun pursed his lips as he closed his eyes. He was beginning to get edgy about the whole situation, yet he restrained himself. So many emotions were already swarming inside of him, waiting to be released, and he didn't know how to control them all anymore.

Why did Lacus attempt to kill herself all of a sudden?

Why in the bathtub, of all places?

Why was he currently feeling angry at her for doing such a thing?

And most of all, why did he feel like a huge part of him had suddenly gone missing when he saw through her plan?

Athrun found himself reflecting on these notions, but try as he might, he couldn't come up with any logical answers for his unspoken questions. Was he merely being too dense or was he already losing some of his wits, he didn't know. All he was certain of was that from this particular event, things would apparently never be the same again.

"_Lacus…_"

And for the first time in his life, the young ace pilot was at a loss of what to do.

"_Why…?_"

**oOoOoOoOoOo**

"SHE WHAT?"

Kira's pensive expression wavered slightly at the deafening roar of Andrew Waltfeld, feeling the urge to cover his ears as his deafening shout boomed in his senses. He hadn't expected him to react like this, and had he not been too caught up with his own thoughts and anxieties, he would have felt the least trepidation at the enraged look on his superior's face.

"Lacus? Suicide? IN THE BATHTUB?" Andrew looked at the brown-haired Coordinator standing stiffly before him, disbelief evident in his expression. "HOW THE HELL DID THAT HAPPEN?"

Kira bit his lower lip, his amethyst-purple eyes trailing from the older man's angry face to the metal floor. "I… I don't know, Sir…"

And then, nothing but silence followed.

The rest of the crew could only gape in surprise at the two figures standing at the very middle of the Bridge, the news that the Freedom pilot had brought apparently shocking them. It was all too sudden and greatly unexpected; they couldn't bring themselves to believe that their young and pleasant commander would do such a thing, and it left them very much troubled.

Several minutes passed; the tension circulating the whole area was almost unbearable, until Andrew decided to speak up once again.

"Well," he began, his deep voice now calm. "Is she all right now?"

"I-I guess," Kira answered. "Athrun is currently looking after her,"

Another stillness ensued for a brief moment.

"…I see," Andrew closed his eyes, rubbing his creased forehead. He raised his other hand to signal the brunette to take his exit, and the young man tentatively obliged. "_This is so troublesome…_"

As soon as Kira was gone, he exhaled deeply and banged a fist on the control table before him in irritation, causing the other workers to jump in their seats. Terrified at the Desert Tiger's sudden outburst, they immediately returned to their positions to continue their own works, leaving the said man alone.

"_What has gotten into that girl all of a sudden?_" Gritting his teeth, he then opened his eyes, an unfamiliar emotion dancing in the depths of his blazing, cobalt-blue orbs.

**oOoOoOoOoOo**

Kira inserted his hands in his pockets as he walked down the Eternal's empty corridor, his amethyst-purple eyes fixated on the floor. Somehow, the whole area felt colder and more silent than usual, and his expression grew grimmer at perceiving the reason why.

"_Lacus…_"

Stopping dead in his trail, he sighed and turned to the window just beside him. His reflection looked back at him sadly as he gently pressed a hand on the glass, and he merely stood there motionlessly, as his mind's eye flashed back to a series of unnerving images.

_He leaned his back against the glass wall in the hallway, feeling restless. Apparently, his bizarre insight about the pink-haired lass took the sleepiness away from him, and as he examined the silver ring that he found on his nightstand a while ago, he could only wonder why he had suddenly thought of such a strange notion._

**_It doesn't make any sense…_**

_Yet, his train of thoughts was interrupted when he heard a frenzied sound of footsteps coming from the other side of the corridor. Raising an eyebrow, he clenched the ring tight in his hand and peered through the corner to see what the fuss was about._

_And the next thing he knew, he was face to face with a familiar, blue-haired Coordinator, a frightened expression plastered on his usually emotionless façade as he gathered a drenched songstress in his arms, her naked form covered by a red, ZAFT uniform._

**_A-Athrun, what--- _**

**_Kira._**_ The younger man's voice was firm as he gave the brunette a sharp, yet meaningful look Seeing an air of comprehension slowly cross his face, he managed to give a slight nod before tightening his hold on the figure that he was carrying in his arms and continuing on his way._

_The Freedom pilot, on the other hand, stayed glued in his spot as the other youngster took off. He felt his knees buckle with so much weakness at the shocking sight that suddenly met his unknowing eyes, and with his mind now a tangled mess of confusion and wordless queries, he could only watch his friend's moving figure fade away in the darkness, hearing nothing but the sound of footsteps echo faintly in the vast, empty area. _

The vivid color and sounds disappeared the moment Kira felt a hand gently settled on his shoulder. Turning to his side, he jerked as he found himself staring back at a pair of bemused, emerald-green eyes.

"A-Athrun," he stuttered, suppressing a gasp as he recognized the figure.

The young man nodded his head and leaned against the transparent wall, his arms crossed. Eyeing his friend carefully, he couldn't help but notice the troubled expression on his face. "What's eating you?" he asked casually.

Kira didn't say anything and merely looked down.

"It's about Lacus, isn't it?"

There was a moment of silence before the brown-haired lad decided to speak up. "How is she, Athrun?"

Athrun closed his eyes, sighing heavily. He knew that his friend was bound to ask this sooner or later. "She had been sunken for quite a while, and had swallowed a fair amount of water as a result,"

"What?"

"But she's all right now," he continued, eyelids parting slowly. "Thankfully, I was able to save her in time,"

At hearing this, Kira felt a wave of relief wash over him and he let out an eased smile. "That's good…" he whispered, but immediately shot Athrun a disbelieving look upon realizing something.

Reading the brunette's incredulous expression, the former ZAFT soldier couldn't help but smirk. "Jealous?"

"N-no, of course not!" he answered immediately, his voice surprisingly higher than usual.

Athrun felt the urge to widen his grin at seeing the huge blush tainting his friend's cheeks, but decided to spare him the further embarrassment. Releasing another sigh, he shrugged his shoulders casually. "It's only a simple mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, Kira. No need to get all worked up over it,"

"I know that!" Kira remarked stubbornly. "It's just that…"

"Just what?" The other man blinked.

"…What exactly happened to her, Athrun?" He turned to him, his amethyst-purple eyes shimmering anxiously. "I've never seen her so… so…"

"Lifeless?"

"Yeah… Lifeless…" he sighed. "Have you?"

Athrun raised an eyebrow in question. "What makes you say that?"

The brown-haired Coordinator blinked innocently, then scratched his head. "Well, you've known her the longest, haven't you?"

"Yeah, so?"

"Then you obviously know a lot more about her than we do," he told him.

With this, Athrun's mouth twitched, the urge to punch his friend rising within him. "Kira, you're being an idiot. Just go to sleep, will you?" he said resignedly, rubbing his creased forehead.

Kira glared at him. "I'm serious here," he remarked darkly. "Why won't you tell me anything anyway?"

"What do you want me to tell you then?"

"ANYTHING!" he snapped, hands curling into tight fists. His voice came out almost like a choked sob as he whirled his head sharply to the Justice pilot, who seemed quite unaffected by his unexpected outburst. Taking a deep breath, he then hung his head limply, his shoulders slumping. "I'm deeply worried about her, Athrun," he mumbled, eyes staring uneasily at the metal floor. "When I saw you carrying her, I… I felt so afraid for her…"

He lifted his head once again, a frown crossing his features as he met Athrun's blank stare. "And even if she's all right now, I can't just sit around here and act as if nothing has ever happened to her when in fact there really has,"

Despite the troubling sensation inside of him, Athrun still managed to give out a smirk. "Wow," he breathed. "You really got it bad, huh?"

"What?" Kira blinked.

"Why do you care so much about Lacus anyway?" he asked back, shifting his position a bit. Looking at the brown-haired lad before him, he noticed that the grim expression on his youthful face grew deeper at his question.

A few minutes passed, then a tired sigh was heard.

"Lacus…" the brunette began, sadness flashing in his mauve depths as he thought of the songstress. "She had already done so much for me. I… I owe her my life…" Here, he took a deep breath, eyebrows furrowing. "And I can't help but feel responsible for all that has happened to her lately. Maybe… Maybe if I--- "

"Don't," Athrun suddenly said, cutting him off. His voice held a slight edge to it as he tilted his head to the perplexed young man yet again, locking him under his intent gaze. "You know as much as we do that it wasn't your doing, Kira,"

"But it's not Lacus' either," Kira retorted instantly.

"Now where did that come from?" the blue-haired Coordinator asked, his tone sounding irritated, yet almost incredulous. "I did not say anything like that, you idiot! I'm just stating the facts. For Pete's sake, Kira, why don't you just shut up?"

"No," he told him firmly, eyes narrowing into slits. "First, you tell me what I want to know **then** I'll shut up. Heck, I'll even leave you alone as an added bonus if you want!" Hearing no reply, he uttered another heavy sigh. "I… I just want to help…" he whispered. "So tell me, Athrun… Please…"

"…I don't know anything," Athrun mumbled, looking uneasily at the floor. "Even I am surprised as to why she attempted to do such a thing,"

"Do you think it has something to do with her father's death?" he asked him.

"Probably,"

"Or maybe--- "

"Kira," Athrun's voice cut him off once again.

"What?"

"Why aren't you shutting you up?" he asked him tiredly, closing his eyes.

Kira's eyebrow twitched. "And why are you being such a bastard?"

"Touché," He smirked.

The brunette could only shake his head, bringing his hand up to his temple. "You know, you act as if you don't care about Lacus at all, Athrun," he remarked. "I didn't know you were this cold,"

Athrun merely shrugged his shoulders. "That's because unlike you, I'm fully capable of controlling my feelings well,"

"Uh-huh," the other man scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Which is why you look twice your age right now,"

"Screw you," He punched him lightly in the shoulder, before straightening himself. He shuffled his feet and prepared to leave the area, yet stopped in his tracks the moment he heard Kira speak to him once again.

"When are you going to stop pretending that you don't care about anything, Athrun?" he questioned. "I know you're the one who is the most affected by what happened to Lacus, so just drop the act,"

And almost instantly, he felt something spark near the center of his chest. "…Kira,"

"What?"

"You've received proper military training from the Earth Forces, haven't you?" he asked him curtly.

Kira furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, not quite comprehending where his friend was getting at. "N-not really," he answered, somewhat hesitantly. "But Lieutenant Mwu did teach me some pretty decent martial arts. W-why?"

With this, Athrun turned around, determination glinting in his emerald-green eyes. "Spar with me,"

An unusual silence soon swathed the whole corridor, and Kira felt his jaw drop at the Justice pilot's unexpected demand as his wide, amethyst-purple orbs stared at his resolved expression in disbelief. "…O-Oh boy…" he choked out, and seeing Athrun's lips curl into a smug smirk, he could only nod his head hesitantly, whilst slapping himself mentally. "_If I had known that he'd vent his anger out on me, I never should have provoked him like that…_"

**oOoOoOoOoOo**

_Black._

_Everything was black._

_Blindingly black._

_Her tiny hands tried to grasp for something to hold on, yet she couldn't feel anything. **I can't see. It's too dark!** She was on the verge of crying, and panic was already about to overwhelm her, when a deep voice came out from the blue._

**_Why, of course it is, Princess. You're blindfolded, remember? _**_Suddenly, she felt someone clamp her shoulder, patting it gently. _

**_P-Papa?_**_ She sniveled, and almost gasped out loud as her hand was then taken by another; this time, much softer and smoother than her father's._

**_Don't be afraid, Lacus. _**_It was a feminine voice, a very familiar one as well. **This is simply a part of our surprise for you.**_

_With this, she broke out into an excited beam. **Mama! I-is that you?**_

**_Yes, it's me, Honey. _**_She squeezed her hand. **Is there a problem?**_

**_No… _**_She smiled, blushing. **I love you, Mama. And you too, Papa.**_

_Regardless of the blindfold, she could still tell that they were smiling back at her. _

**_We love you too, Dear. _**_They took her hands and led her forward, guiding her to the place where she assumed her surprise would be._

_Her excitement was apparent on her face by now – despite the piece of clothe that was covering half of it – and she beamed a bigger smile, one full of clear, unadulterated happiness._

_Yes, this was her life – peaceful, grand and colorful. Her Mama and Papa would always stay by her side, holding her and smiling at her, and the three of them would love one another dearly. _

_She would always be their sweet, little princess._

_And she would never be alone._

**_We're here! _**_They stopped walking, and her parents let go of her hands. _

**_Now, Cupcake. _**_This time, she felt her mother kneel before her small frame, clasping her narrow shoulders gently. **Count to three before removing the blindfold, okay?**_

**_Yes, Mama!_**

_Giggling lightly, she kissed her in the forehead. **That's a good girl. **She delicately tapped her daughter's nose with a lean finger before standing up, and the pink-haired princess took this as a prompt to start her count._

**_One… Two… _**_She reached for the blindfold and pulled it down to her neck, squealing in excitement. **Three!**_

Yet as she opened her eyes, nothing but dimness greeted her sight.

There wasn't any surprise.

No cakes.

No gifts.

No ponies.

No giant teddy bears.

**No Mama and Papa.**

"_Mama…_"

It was just her. Only her.

And the cold darkness surrounding her petite form, threatening to engulf her whole being once again.

"_Papa…_"

Gasping softly, she gradually sat up, the blanket slipping off her naked self. She shakily raised her hands to her face, looking at them in disbelief. "W-why…? How…?" she breathed, a combined feeling of what seemed like confusion and disappointment working its way on her pale features.

**_LACUS!_**

The face of a familiar, blue-haired young man then flashed in her mind, and realization instantly dawned on her.

"_He saved me… just in time…_"

With this, her lips quivered into a bitter smile. "_I'm… alive…?_" she asked herself, feeling weak all of a sudden. She bowed her head feebly, pink tresses overshadowing her eyes.

"I'm alive…" Hardening her fists, the smile never left her lips despite the mixed emotions that were starting to flare up in her veins once again, and she hugged her knees tight against her chest, before finally letting the silent tears trickle down her porcelain cheeks. "I'm **still** alive…"

**(tsuzuku)**

May 27, 2005

_This chappie – so far – has been the **MOST DIFFICULT CHAPPIE I'VE EVER WRITTEN**! **MUCH** harder than the 2nd one, mind y'all! Too much contemplation… Gah! It's making my head hurt a lot! And to think that I have to endure this all throughout the course of the story! OxO I think I'm gonna die…_

_Oh, please don't sue me for presenting such a poor chappie. Yes, there may be no AxL scenes here - except the certain flashbacks - but this chappie is very important to the whole story (It's not a filler!) because this one sets up the characters' moods for the future, heavier chappiez. So... umm... (looks nervously at the readers)_

_Anyways, I've made a new community dedicated entirely to the AxL coupling! XD It'll be so cool if y'all peepers would join it! Don't worry; you don't have to be a writer to join. Anyone can do so, actually! Just as long as you love AxL. If there are any AxL writers who would like to join, you may also submit your AxL fics there. Gathering all AxL aficionados, as well as ALL AxL fics in the Gundam SEED category is the main purpose of the community anyway so… err… I'm talking rubbish, doncha think? _

_Okay, so much for that! Thank you all for the wonderful support, minna-san! XD And now, I present you with my responses._

**oOoOoOoOoOo**

**Lara**_ - My, thank you very much for checking out the 2nd chappie! I know it was a late update, and the chappie was really shorter, but I'm doing my best to make it improve more. However, I'm still glad to hear that you liked it despite everything! XD Once again, thank you very much for supporting me, as well as acknowledging me as one of the best!_

**xTiNaeVr**_ - Well, hello, fluffybmine! c",) It's nice to receive another review from you! Hehe... Anyways, thanks for liking my fic! And yes, I totally understand what you're trying to say. I've experienced the same thing too! So... What do you think of this chapter? Hope you review again, friend! _

**Heero De Fanel **_- OMG! O.o IT'S SUCH AN HONOR TO RECEIVE A REVIEW FROM YOU, HEERO-SAMA! ...Hehe... Well, you may think that I'm weird or something, but you're one of my fave authors! XD I'm super happy that you've read my fic! Thank you VERY much for your wonderful comments! Yoshi! I'll do MUCH better from now on! Hope to hear from you again! XD_

**deema**_ - I like DxM too! I actually find it cute! Haha! Anyways, thank you for the review! And because you've made me so happy, I'll TRY inserting li'l DxM scenes in my story solely for your enjoyment! XD So please keep on supporting me, ok? (wink)_

**Crazy Neko **_- Wow. You really think the chappie was not a complete crap! O.o Waii! I'm so happy! T.T Thank you very much for cheering me up on that one! And you're starting to like the AxL pairing as well? SUGOI! Hehe... I don't see why you're thanking me though... I mean, honestly, I'm the one who should thank you for it! Because of what you've said, I've been motivated more than ever! XD Once again, thank you so much for liking the fic and for supporting me! Hope to hear from you again! XD_

**SteeldramonXL**_ - Thanks for the awesome review! Yes, I've read your ficcie, but my PC was being a bitch again and didn't let me review... but I won't give up! I'll review it no matter what! Hehe... About Kira and Cagalli, well, it's quite hard to think of the perfect way for them NOT to be siblings, but I'll think of something! I don't want to disappoint one of my readers, y'know! XD Anyways, I hope this chapter was a satisfying one to you. I'd love to hear your comments on this, so please review, ok? And oh! Good luck with your upcoming AxL ficcie! I'll check it out as soon as it's posted! XD_

**botan-chan16 **_- Hello, gurl! Nice to hear from you again! Glad you've read this fic, even though you haven't actually watched the series yet. Pero sana lang pinapanood mo xa, db? MAGANDA UN, PROMISE! XD Hehe... Anyway, hope you review again, ok? XD Lookin' forward to it!_

**Imperialdramon a.k.a. Ten-chan **_- Err... Sorry sa pambubulabog! Nyaha! Well, at least you're done with your term papers na, right? So... What do you think of this chappie? And Lacus being self-centered? Well, that's the main point of the plot, right? She'll act like that in the WHOLE fic, so better get prepared! Haha! And yeah, thanx a bunch for the help! (glomps ATE) Review ka, ha?_

**white-rosekiss **_- Thanks for the review, as well as including this in your favorites! Yes, AxL fics are REALLY hard to find, which is why I made this one! Hehe... XD And yes, I'm actually planning to write another AxL one, and it will be the sequel of this. c",) I'm still not sure about it though, but I'll do my best! For the meantime, please bear with this fic, ok? I'd love to hear your comments on this one, considering that you're also an avid AxL fanatic like moi! XD_

**cherrygurl-990 **_- Thank you for being patient with my slow updates! I'm glad you liked the ficcie, and your comments about Lacus just makes me want to find you and glomp you! Hehe! XD Please continue reading this one, ok?_

**Lacus-chan **_- I'm always looking forward to your reviews, y'know... since you're a total AxL aficionado like me! XD Thanks a lot for the review! Hope you give me more! In turn, I'll do MUCH better in the future chappies! XD_

**Ame no Megami **_- Wow, so many AxL fans here! Hehe... Thanks for being one of them! I'm really glad. So what do you think of the story so far? Going good or not? Don't hesitate to give me comments, ok?_

**moonbeams-stardust **_- Well... Did you like the 3rd chappie? O.o I hope so... Hehe! But I'd really appreciate it if you give me another review! It makes me more motivated! XD And about your question, well, unfortunately, there isn't any AxL shrines in the Internet currently. Sorry! I'm trying to find one too, but I'm out of luck! However, I have some pretty cool and SWEET AxL pics and cute fanarts and doujinshis that I would like to share to any AxL worshippers! XD If you want them, just let me know, ok? And yes, AxC fics are inevitable, dearest, since they ARE a canon pairing and the MOST appreciated one... so... err... But don't mind them! As long as we remain loyal to AxL, well... you know what I mean! Err... right? O.o Haha! I'm starting to babble again. Anyways, please review, ok?_

**Cruel Fate **_- Well, what can I say? I believe I've already made my point in my Author's Notes above... right:D Just please be patient, ok? I haven't forgotten the fact that this is INDEED an AxL fic, but I strongly believe that jumping into sudden sappiness is just too OOC. As of now, Athrun feels nothing but concern to our Pink Princess. Not romantically though... But as the story progresses, I assure you that you'll finally be seeing some AxL scenes. Not too fluffy and mushy. This is an angst fic after all. (sweat drops) Anyway, I'd like to thank you for the review! I'm glad you liked the slight KxL-ness I've inserted! XD Yes, I know there STILL isn't any AxL going on in the current chappie, but please consider reviewing this one too, ok? Thanks in advance, dear! XD_

**PiNk PriNcEsSzZ **_- Hey there! Thanks for checking out my fic! You hate AxC too? Wow. But I guess we kinda share the same ideals on them. For me, I think that Athrun is too "refined" to be paired up to someone as "rugged" as Cagalli... Err... But thank God you're supporting AxL! XD I'm so just happy! Hehe... And I'm also glad that you also enjoy the other pairings I enjoy! XD So cool! Oh, yeah... you mentioned something about Ji Won and Mina (or something like that). Umm... What are they anyway? O.o_

**atori**_ - Thank you very much! I'm so happy to have a supporter like you! I'm looking forward to your review, friend! Please tell me what you think! c",) Btw, I'm also a fan of your works! XD I've read them all and my ultimate faves would be "A Boy, a Girl and that __Old__Temple__ Atop a Hill", and umm... ALL YOUR TENIPURI FICS! XD (I've been an instant fan of KiriSaku because of your fics regarding them!). I'm not much of a reviewer, but I'll try to give you some when I have the time! I'm always looking forward to your updates, as well! Good luck! You have my whole support, man! XD _

**osnowdropso**_ - Yes, you're absolutely right! Athrun and Lacus can work out quite well as a pair. XD Thanks so much for thinking the same thing as I do! Also, I'm really flattered that you love my story, and your review was one of the most "inspiring" ones I've ever read! Thank you oh so much! I'll try coming up with newer ideas for newer AxL ficcies! XD I hope you review again!_

**Melrose**** Stormhaven **_- You're not the only AxL fanatic here, dear! Many people like the couple as much as we do, and I'm so glad! Hehe... I love you too! XD Hope to hear from you again! And before I forget, I've also read your MaLoki fic, "In A Distant Time". I think the story's really cool, and the Mayura x Kou-chan friendship included there was really interesting to read. Hope to read more of Jasshin Loki (He's one HOT bishie! Ooh… Totally drool-worthy! XD)! Hehe… More power to you! C",)_

**Chloe**_ - Thanks for the comment! I found the chappie crappy actually, but I'm glad you said it was beautiful! XD Thank you for the support! Please continue reviewing me, onegai? ;-)_

**Kawaii**_ - One word: Thanks. Nyaha! XD Thank you very much for considering me as the best writer! Truly an honor, and I promise to keep it up and continue writing so as not to disappoint supporters like you! Thanks again! Don't forget to review, ok? XD_

**Feathertop**_ - Nyaha! You're making me blush with your reviews, y'know! Hehe... Anyways, thanks again! XD And about the NEKKID thingy, well... err... I just wanted to try it out on them once. :D Liked it? Whehe! Looking forward to your review!_

**Mongolian-bbq **_– Gee, thanks for giving me another review o------------------this----------------o long! XD Hehe! Yeah, the chappie was shorter (by 2 pages! TxT), but I'm still glad you liked it. I guess it's also nice to see Lacus in such a heartbreaking situation, and I totally agree when you mentioned that she was like a false doll in the series, showing nothing but a smiling façade towards everyone despite all that she'd gone through. I was especially proud of what you said about understanding Lacus' feelings here. So glad! The comment was a wonderful motivation for me, y'know. Thank you very much! (",) I'll be waiting for your next review!_

**Barney**_ – Yes, Athrun and Lacus is such a CUTE couple. I'm always wondering why people don't see that fact… err… but I'm glad you did! Thanks a lot! XD Now we have another new member added to the AxL club! XD Hehe!_

**ConfuseDAngel**_ – Dear, from the sound of it, you really ARE a confused angel… O.o But I'm glad I inspired you to write! Don't get too confused though. If you feel more comfy in writing a KxL, then it's okay! XD I'll still review it naman e. Good luck na lang:) And yes, Lacus is fine. No need to kill me… X.x_

**LKC**_ – Gosh, I thought you weren't going to review me anymore! T.T Anyhoo, thanks a bunch for having the time to comment on both chappies, and for helping me with them! XD I'm in the editing process as of now, so please pardon the wrong grammars! (I personally think I still work better alone. Beta-readers aren't much help – especially when you know you ARE better than them in English! XD) And I'm glad you don't see the characters too OOC; I'm always worried about that. Gundam SEED DESTINY? Yes, I've already watched them, but I'm not THAT bothered anymore by the AxC moments included in there. All I needed to do was to cover my eyes when such EXPLICIT scenes are being shown and voila! I'm worry-free! XD Hehe… I'd like to talk more of this with you, so I'll just continue with this one when we chat, okish! My supposedly short reply for you is starting to be more like a novelette, and that's not good, man! Why? BECAUSE I'M BABBLING! XD Nyaha! Review again, okay?_

**Shady Heaven**_ – Thanks for the review! Truly appreciated! I'm glad that I was successful in making most of the readers 'feel' what kind of dilemma Lacus is going through, and that – of course – includes you, my friend. :D Thanks again!_

**Angel Starcalista**_ – Wow, we share the same insights, man! I too was very disappointed when the series got to its later episodes. Lacus and Athrun's breakup was such a heartbreak for me, but it further toughened my already strong obsession for the couple; thus, "Fading Light" is produced! XD And yes, Kira and Cagalli sounds like a much better pairing for me too. Why? Because they understand each other – more than anyone, if I may say so myself. You get what I'm saying, do you? Many people apparently thought of the same thing, which is why KxC ficcies still remain in the net. Maa! But I'm glad you liked my fic! XD I'm so happy! Tottemo ureshii desu yo! Nyaha! XD Lacus? Oh, well, I didn't kill her, so I hope you continue reading (and reviewing!) my fic, okay? (winks)_

**AL4ever! **_– Thanks for the review! Hope this chappie was a contentment to you. Please stay tuned for the AxL scene in the next installment, ayt?_

**Mocha-chan **_– Nyaha! I guess this 3rd chappie answered your worry, yes? Don't worry, dearie. Lacus-chan isn't dead, as you can see in the final scene. Anyway, I'm glad you're liking the fic so far, and thanks for checking it out despite your love for KxL! XD _

**Chelsey**_ – Thanks for reviewing! And as I mentioned for the umpteenth time, Lacus is NOT dead. XD I won't kill her; don't worry – at least, not YET… Joke! XD_

**hikari munchkin **_– Thanks! (blushes) I'm glad to meet another true-blooded AxL aficionado. Please keep supporting this fic, okay? In turn, I'll do my best to make this the best AxL story! Hehe… Ganbarimasu!_

**Sechskies' No. 1 Fan **_– Wow… I HAVE MY OWN NO. 1FAN! Sugoi! XD Hehe… I'm really flattered And this is your 3rd time reading those 2 chappies! O.O Tottemo sugoi! Thank you very much for supporting me so much! Words aren't enough to express how you made me so happy! Yes, yes, I'll do MUCH better so as not to disappoint you! XD Please continue backing me! _

**Uchiha Chizuru **_– Hey there, gurlette! I didn't expect you'll review this work of mine… Meh! Thanks for the review anyway! Truly appreciated, uh-huh. You're the 2nd person who told me na __sana__ kasama talaga sa SEED 'tong story ko, and… Haha! I really don't know what to say! XD It was such a flatter for me. And don't get too worked up with Cagalli. Tatanda ka sa sobrang inis! Nyaha! XD Keep loving AxL na lang para mas masaya. (smiles) Thanks a lot ulet! Smooches to you (and to Chidori-chan!) XD_

**Clyne-Zala **_– O.o Umm… I don't really know what your being speechless means… Negative? Positive? Err… Anyhoo, let me thank you for checking out the fic and sending a review as well. I welcome it a lot. (",)_

**icemint**_ - Hehe… I'm wordless… I'm glad you liked my fic, but no need to thank me for it! I'm just happy to know that AxL lovers like me are enjoying my humble fiction. Actually, I'm the one who's supposed to thank y'all for reading it. It's all because of your support that I'm still able to write like this. (",) Please continue sticking with me and this fic, okay? I eagerly await your next review, buddy! _

**Shirayuki**_ – Yes, AxL fics are really rare, and that fact frustrated me so much! They're like diamonds, you know? So hard to find… Well, anyways, thank you very much for the review you gave me! It was more than enough to boost my enthusiasm in continuing with this ficcie! XD All my reviewers' words are the world to me, so I hope you continue reading (and reviewing!)! _

**LaJolie**_ – I love you too for reading my fic! XD So sorry for the very long update, but this chappie – honestly – was SO hard to write! Much harder than the 2nd one, actually. Anyways, I'm glad to know that you're liking my fic so far, but I was kinda O.o when I read in your review that you were panicking while reading it. I didn't know how to react on that! I was laughing in amusement but scratching my head in confusion. But I'm glad! (",) From your reaction, I can tell that you were enjoying the chap… right? O.O Err… Moving on, umm… about your question, yes, I got my penname from the K-band, SechsKies! XD I just love Kang Sung-hoon so much, so I picked the name to always remind me of my (eherm!) obsession for him! Nyaha! Thanks for the review, btw! This chappie isn't really that great but I hope you'll still review me!_

**DarkRoxy**_ – Wow! Your review was a piece of heaven to me, man! XD I'm glad you like my fic, and I'm SUPER happy that you even consider this as your fave AxL ficcie! Yes, yes, long live Athrun and Lacus! And don't worry, this story won't be ending yet. :D I have many plans for our fave couple, so please wait for it! Btw, I read your AxL fic just now and I also loved it! I'll be sending you a review as soon as I have the time, ok? (smiles)_

**Melon**_ – Oh, so you have a fetish for angst and drama, huh? Well, hope you continue reading because I assure you that this fic has LOTS of them! XD Thanks so much for the wonderful review! _

**Puu-chan**_ – Gosh, I'm flattered! Rating this an 11 out of 10? Aiya! So happy! (blushes) Thank you very much, and I'll definitely do more! (",)_

**Akizuki-02**_ – Thank you for the very pleasing comments, my dear! I hope you didn't get any nervous breakdowns while reading the fic, because I can tell that you're one emotional reader. __J__ Tama ba ko, sis? Haha! I'm super happy to know that you think of this fic as the best, but I suggest you also read other GS fics. There are others out there that are also great and totally worth reading (especially AxL ones! Squee!). I can recommend to you some, if you want! Anyways, already at a loss of words here. Basta! Thanks for liking my fic, and I hope you… uh… O.o Nyaha! XD_

**rouge justice**_ – Thanks for the review! Hope this chapter was a satisfaction to you, dearest. I'll do MUCH better next time, so please stay tuned, ok? (smiles)_

**diamond-dust08**_ – Nyaha! Dunno what to say! XD Thanks for reviewing! I wasn't expecting you to give me one, actually. So, umm… Oh yeah! Thanks for telling me Andy's eye color! Kahit pandescribe ko lang siya, important pa rin yun so thanks talaga! XD (hugs KUYA) _

**FUSHUU**_ – Yes, I'll do more, so I hope you review more too! Nyaha! XD Thanks a lot!_

**AxL Supporter **_– My, another AxL supporter! Haha! Thank you very much for reviewing. :-)_

**Cryptkeeper**_ – Wow. Another long review from one of my fave reviewers! XD Thank you very much for supporting all my stories so far. You don't know how much you've made me so happy. I'll work on the grammatical errors, and I'll DEFINTELY try harder! Hope you review me again! X-)_

**Mocha Creampuff **_– Gawd! Your name makes me really hungry right now! XD Anyways, I'm flattered about what you said. I didn't know my fic was THAT good. XP Hehe. I hope you liked this 3rd chappie, even though it doesn't have any AxL interactions as of yet. But I'm trying very hard! Like you (and I guess everyone who reads the fic), I want to see more AxL scenes, but as I already mentioned, fluffs won't be coming until the last part. This is an angst fic after all, so we'll just have to wait for it. :P Still, I hope you're not getting too impatient with the slow development of the plot. XP Maa! Thanks for the review anyways. :-) Totally loved it!_

**NoinK**_ – Thank you for reviewing! Glad to know that AxL is also always on the top of your list! Me too! Nyaha! XD I so love them!_

**wheeXD**_ – Why, thank you! XD (hugglez back)_

**ukyo16**_ – Thank you for the flattering comments, as well as your encouragement letters! XD It really helped me a lot! I'm so happy that you're supporting my fic this much, and words aren't enough to express how grateful I am to have you as my friend! (hugs) You're cool too, you know, and I hope you continue loving AxL as much as I do. :D Once again, thanks for the wonderful motivation! Hope to see a review from you again. :-)_

**Petal **_– Suspense? O.o Ahahaha! (sweat drops) But I have to agree that AxL is a really exciting pair. Thanks for dropping by and reviewing! _

**Tiramisu**_ – Dry those tears now, dearie, because Seccie-chan is back in the house! XD Hope this chappie has answered your queries! Lotsa hugs to you for reviewing me! C",)_

**ISDA**_ – Woah… A little flattered here. The best? O.o Aiyaa! Hontou ni arigatou! XD So whaddya think of this 3rd chappie? (smiles innocently)_

**meiri **_– Thanks for the pleasing comment! I always feel embarrassed whenever someone would tell me that my fic is the best… XD Ahaa, hazukashii! But really, thank you very much! Looking forward to your next review! _

**ChRnO**_ – I'm so so sOoOoOo sorry for the long wait! XD Writer's block, need I say more? But I'm back now, so don't cry! XP Hope you review me again! Good reviews are one of my motivations! XD _

**_--- Everyone, please say "Hi!" to my new beta-reader (and instant friend), UKYO16! Love you lots, girl! Thanks a bunch for putting up with my craziness! XD ---_**


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